Reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type



March 9, 1965 P. s. FLETCHER RECLINING CHAIR OF THE MULTIPLE POSITIONLOUNGER TYPE Filed Aug. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

w; #4, My! M lz Z! INVENTOR. PETER v.5. FLETCHER.

BY A 1 arromveys March 9, 1965 P. s. FLETCHER RECLINING CHAIR OF THEMULTIPLE POSITION LOUNGER TYPE Filed Aug. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

flTTOR NE YS United States Patent 4 3,172,697. RECLINING CHAIR OF TIEMULTIPLE POSITION LOUNGER TYPE Peter S. Fletcher, Deiray Beach, Fla.,assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed Aug. 14, 1962,, Ser.No. 216,857 7 Claims. ((31. 297-85) The present invention relatesgenerally to reclining chairs, and in particular to a reclining chair ofthe multiple position lounger type. This is an improvement of theinvention of my earlier filed application Serial No. 820,431, filed June15, 1959, now US. Patent No. 3,086,814 of April 23, 1963.

The recently developed multiple position reclining chair includes asupport, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted tobe mounted on the support for inclining and reclining movementsrespectively, and a mounting linkage which mounts the seat and back-restfor movement from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tiltedsitting position during a first movement phase, with substantially nochange in the angular relationship between the seat and the back-rest,and for further movement from the intermediate, tilted sitting positionto a fully reclined position during a second movement phase, with anincrease in the angular relationship between the seat and back-rest. Thechair additionally includes a leg-rest which is mounted for movementfrom a stored position beneath the forward end of the seat to anelevated position forwardly of the seat during the first movement phase,with the leg-rest remaining in the elevated leg-supporting positionthroughout the second movement phase. As is generally understood, theintermediate, tilted sitting position is appropriate for televisionviewing, sewing, reading, and the like, while the fully reclinedposition is appropriate for complete relaxation.

An important consideration in the design of this type of recliningchair, apart from attaining the requisite chair positions, is theability to precisely control the paths of movement for thebody-supporting means during the first and second movement phases toachieve the desired chair balance in such movement phases. Theconditions for obtaining proper chair balance are rather complex when itis appreciated that this type of chair essentially has two independentbalance problems related respectively to the first and second movementphases. During the first movement phase, it is necessary to balance theseat and back-rest (which are moving rearwardly into the intermediate,tilted sitting position with substantially no angular change relative toeach other) with the leg-rest which is moving upwardly and forwardlyfrom the stored position to the elevated leg-supporting position; andduring the second movement phase, it is necessary to balance the seatand back-rest (which are moving relative to each other to increase theangular relationship therebetween) with the leg-rest which is disposedin an elevated leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat and movessubstantially with the seat. The problem is somewhat further complicatedin that the effective center of gravity of the chair occupant shiftsincident to the movement of the chair through the first and secondmovement phases.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recliningchair of the multiple position lounger type which realizes one or moreof the aforesaid objectives. Specifically, it is within thecontemplation of the present invention to provide a mounting andcoordinating linkage for a reclining chair of the multiple position typewhich establishes precise paths of movement for the body-supportingmeans in the respective first and second movement phases, which paths ofmovement are independent of each other and may be selected easily andprecisely to establish the requisite chair positions and to achieveproper chair balance in the respective movement phases. i 1

In accordance with the present invention, the mounting means'for theseatand back-rest include a first constrained linkage operative duringthe first movement phase of the chair and an'independent and coordinatedsecond constrained linkage operative during the'second movement phasethereof. The first constrained linkage includes as movable links thereofan intermediate coordinating link, a front guiding link and a rearguiding link. The front and rear guiding links are pivotally connectedto the intermediate coordinating link at respective front and rearpivotal connections, and are pivotally mounted on the support atrespective front and rear pivotal mounts. The second constrained linkageincludes means pivot-ally connecting the back-rest of thebody-supporting means to the seat at a seat pivot and means pivotallymounting the back-rest on the inter mediate coordinating link at aback-rest pivot such that the seat and the back-rest serve as twomovable links of the second constrained linkage. interconnecting linksare provided between the back-rest, the seat, and the coordinating linkfor completing a six-bar control linkage which is operable during thesecond movement phase to move the seat upwardly and to incline the seatas a function of the reclining movement of the back-rest. Frovision ismade for blocking the movement of the movable links of the firstconstrained linkage at the end of the first movement phase such that theintermediate coordinating link serves as a stationary link of the sixbarcontrol linkage and eifectively provides a stationary pivotal mount forthe back-rest. Advantageously, the six-bar control linkage enables ahigh orderof control over the inclination of the seat as a function ofthe reclining movement of the back-rest and over the chair balanceduring the second movement phase, which control is essentiallyindependent of the control of the body-supporting means by the firstconstrained linkage during the first movement phase.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of presently preferred,but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the presentinvention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing areclining chair of the multiple position lounger type embodying featuresof the present invention, shown in theupright sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing thechair in the intermediate, tilted sitting position; Y

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing thechair in the fully reclined position at the end of the second movementphase;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the mounting andcoordinating linkage, shown modified to incorporate a positivesequencing means, with the linkage being shown in the positioncorresponding to the normal sitting position of the chair;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the linkage in theposition'corresponding to the intermediate, tilted sitting position ofthe chair; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the linkage in aposition corresponding to the fully reclined position of the'chair.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to3 inclusive a reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type,generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, which includes asupport 12 including opposite side walls 14, 16 interconnected by aplurality of cross members 18 and supported on depending legs 20.Mounted on the support 12 is a body-supporting means including a seat 22and a back-rest 24 which are adapted to be inclined and reclinedrespectively. As it will be described, the seat 22 andthe back-rest 24of the body-supporting means 22, 24 are movable from the upright sittingposition shown in FIG. 1 to an intermediate, tilted sitting positionshown in FIG. 2 during a first movement phase, with substantially nochange in the angular relationship between the seat 22 and the back-rest24, and for further movement from the intermediate, tilted sittingposition shown in FIG. 2 to a fully reclined position shown in FIG. 3during a second movement phase, with an increase in the angularrelationship between the seat 22 and the back-rest 24.

Disposed beneath the forward end of the seat 22 is a leg-rest 26 whichis nomally disposed in a stored position when the body-supporting means22, 24 is in the normal sitting position. The leg-rest 26 is mounted formovement to an elevated leg-supporting position during the firstmovement phase, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS.1 and 2 by a leg-rest mounting linkage 28 which is operable in responseto rearward movement of the seat 22 relative to the support 12. Theleg-rest mounting linkage 28 maintains the leg-rest 26 in the elevatedleg-supporting position throughout the second phase, as may beappreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 2 and 3.

In accordance with the present invention, the seat 22 and the back-rest24 are mounted on the support 12 for the respective movement phasesalong independent, but coordinated, paths into the several chairpositions by a mounting and coordinating linkage, generally designatedby the reference numeral 30, which includes a first constrained linkagewhich is operative during the first movement phase and an independentand coordinated second constrained linkage which is operative during thesecond movement phase. Specifically, the mounting and coordinatinglinkage 30 includes a support bracket 32 which may be screwed orotherwise secured to the adjacent side wall (i.e. wall 16) of thesupport 12, it being appreciated that identical linkages are provided atthe opposite sides of the chair for mounting the movable chaircomponents 22, 24, and 26. Extending fore and aft of the chair is anintermediate coordinating link 34 which is movably mounted on thesupport bracket 32 by a front guiding link 36 which is pivotally mountedon the support bracket 32 at a front pivotal mount 38 and pivotallyconnected to the intermediate coordinating link 34 at a front pivotalconnection 40 and a rear guiding link 42 which is pivotally mounted onthe support bracket 32 at a rear pivotal mount 44 and pivotallyconnected to the intermediate coordinating link 34 at a rear pivotalconnection 46 spaced rearwardly of the front pivotal connection 40. Aswill be appreciated hereinafter, the seat 22 remains stationary relative to the intermediate coordinating link 34 during the first movementphase. The seat 22 is guided relative to. the support 12 during thefirst movement phase by a first constrained four-bar linkage includingas the movable links thereof, the intermediate coordinating link 34together with the seat and back-rest which are temporarily rigidtherewith, the front guiding link 36 and the rear guiding link 42, andas the stationary link thereof the portion of the support bracket 32intermediate the front and rear pivotal mounts 38, 44.

The mounting and coordinating linkage 30 further includes a seat bracket48 which is secured to the seat 22 and is pivotally connected to theback-rest 24 at a seat pivot 50 which in turn is pivotally connected toa backrest bracket 52 secured to the back-rest 24 and dependingtherefrom. The back-rest bracket 52, which for all practical intents andpurposes can be considered to be integral with or an extension of theback-rest 24, provides a pivotal mount for the back-rest 24 on theintermediate coordinating link 34 at a back-rest pivot 54 such that theseat 22 and the back-rest 24 serve as two movable links of a sec- 0ndconstrained linkage which is operative during the second movement phase.I

The second constrained linkage of the mounting and coordinating linkage30 further includes interconnectinglinks between the back-rest and theseat 22, one of which i interconnecting links is pivotally mountedon thecoor-'- dinating link 34 and completes a six-bar control linkage whichis operable during the second movement phase to move the seat 22upwardly and to incline the seat as a; function of the recliningmovement of the back-rest 24. Specifically, the interconnected linksinclude a beli crankconnecting lever 56 which is pivotally mountedinteri nEdi-' ate its ends at a lever pivot 58 on the intermediate C0nating link 34 and has its arm 56a coupled via a connectinglink 60 tothe back-rest bracket 52 and the back-rest 24. Specifically, the arm 56ahas a pivotal connection 62 to the forward end of the connecting link60, while the rearward end of the connecting link 60 has a pivotalconnection 64 to the lower end of the back-rest bracket 52 at a pointspaced below the back-rest pivot 54. The arm 56b of the bell crankconnecting lever 56 is coupled to the seat bracket 48 by a furtherconnecting link 66 which has a pivotal connection 68 at its lower end tothe adjacent end of the arm 56]) and a pivotal connection 70 at itsupper end to the seat bracket 48, which pivotal connection provides acontrol pivot on the seat 22. This arrangement will be recognized asproviding a six-bar linkage which controls the inclination of the seat22 as a function of the reclining movement of the back-rest 24. The useof this arrangement of such six-bar control linkage enables a high orderof control over the chair balance and the positions of thebody-supporting means throughout the second movement phase. The six-barcontrol linkage includes as the stationary link thereof the intermediatecoordinating link 34 intermediate the lever pivot 58 and the back-restpivot 54 and as the movable links thereof the seat 22, the back-rest 24,the connecting link 60, the bell crank connecting lever 56 and theconnecting link 66.

Provision is made for blocking the movement of th movable links of thefirst constrained linkage at the en of the first movement phase suchthat the intermediate coordinating link 34 will become temporarily rigidthe support and will serve as the stationary link of the six-bar seatcontrol linkage and effectively provides a stationary pivotal mount forthe back-rest 24 at the backcrest pivot 54. In this illustrativeembodiment, the sup port bracket 32 carries a stop pin 72 at a locationrearw-ardly of the rear guiding link 42 and positioned to beaccommodated Within a cut-out 42a formed therein wh n in theintermediate, tilted sitting position shown in FIG. 2.

An additional stop 104 is provided on the back-wrest bracket 52 which isengaged within a notch 34a on the intermediate coordinating link 34throughout the first movement phase, as may be appreciated byprogressively inspecting FIGS. 1 and 2.

Reference will now be made to the details of the legrest mounting andactuating linkage 28 which is seen to include a first pair of links 74,76 having an intermediate pivotal connection 78, and a second pair oflinks 80, 82 having an intermediate pivotal connection 84. The link 82crosses over link 74 and has a coordinating pivotal connection 86thereto. The links 74, of the respective link pairs are pivotallymounted on the for ward end of the seat bracket 48 at respective pivotalconnections 88, 90 and the links '76, 82 are pivotally connected at 92,94 to the leg-rest bracket 96 secured to the leg-rest 26. This describedarrangement of links. will be recognized as a double four-bar lazy tongtype of linkage.

Actuation of the leg-rest linkage is achieved by the provision of acontrol link 98 which is pivotally mounted on the support bracket 32 ata mounting pivot 10! and is pivotally connected to the leg-rest links80,v 82 co guess? axially of pivotal connection 84. The action of thiscontrol link and the leg-rest link to which it is connected is morefully described in my copending application Serial No. 36,674, filedJune 13, 1960. The control link 98 depends from the mounting pivot 100when the leg-rest 26 is in the stored position (see FIG. 1) and opposesupward movement of the seat 22 during the first movement phase andoperation of the second constrained linkage. The leg rest linkagefurther includes a stop 192 on the link 74 which engages the link 82 1nthe stored position of the leg-rest 26 (see FIG. 1) to establish thelimit of retraction of the linkage 28 and the corresponding storedposition for the leg-rest 26. A stop 103 is mounted on the supportbracket 32 in position to abut the arm 56a of the double-arm lever 56 toestablish the fully reclined position for the chair; as shown in FIG. 3.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understandmg of the presentinvention, a typical sequence of operations will now be described indetail:

When the chair occupant is seated in the chair in the upright sittingposition of 'FIG. 1; and pushes rearwardly against the back-rest 24, thecontrol link 98 for the leg-rest mounting linkage 28 tends to pushdownwardly as the body-supporting means moves out of the normal sittingposition of FIG. 1 toward the intermediate, tilted sitting position ofFIG. 2. This downward force does not interfere "with the rearwardmovement of the suspending pivots 88, 90 for the leg-rest linkage 28 onthe seat 24, but does tend to oppose upward movement of the seat 24 andtherefore to oppose the operation of the second movement linkage duringthe first movement phase. Thus, the seat 22 and the back-rest 24 moverearwardly under control of the first constrained linkage which includesas the movable links thereof the intermediate coordinating link 34, thefiront guiding link 36, and the rear guiding link 42, and as thestationary link thereof the portion of the support bracket 32intermediate the front and rear pivotal mounts 38, 44. During such firstmovement phase, there is no relative movement between the seat 22 andthe intermediate coordinating link 34 and substantially no relativemovement between the seat 22 and the back-rest 24, the latter movingrearwardly in a substantially unitary relationship with the seat 22. Theend of the first movement phase is established when the notch 42a of therear guiding link 42 engages the stop 72 on the support bracket 32, withthe body-supporting means 22, 24 in the intermediate, tilted sittingposition and the leg-rest 26 in the elevated leg-supportingposition'forwardly of the seat 22. ()nce the rear guiding link 42 isblocked against movement relative to the support bracket 32, the frontguiding link 36, the rear guiding link 42 and the intermediatecoordinating link 34 effectively become part of the support, such thatthe intermediate coordinating link 34 serves as the stationary link forthe second constrained linkage which is operative during the secondmovement hase.

p Upon further pressure against the back-rest '24, the second movementphase is initiated, with the seat 22 being inclined as a function of thereclining movement of the back-rest 24 under control of the six-barcontrol linkage which includes as the stationary link thereof theportion of the intermediate coordinating link 34- intermediate the leverpivot Se -and the back-rest pivot 54, and as the movable links thereof,the seat 22, the backrest 24, the connecting link 60, the connectinglever 56, and the connecting link es. The end of the second movementphase is established by physically blocking any one of the secondmovement links or by blocking the backrest 24 against further recliningmovement.

It should be noted that the leg-rest control link 93 in theintermediate, tilted sitting position .of FIG. 2 is in a more or lesshorizontal position so that it no longer opposes upward movement of theseat and therefore no 6 longer tends to hold the second constrainedlinkage in operative. On the contrary, this link 98 now swings upwardlywith the seat to hold the leg-rest in the elevated leg-supportingposition during the second movement phase as shown by FIGS; 2 and 3.

Although the built-in sequencing of the linkage incorporated in theinstant chair has been found to he satisfactory, it may be desirable toprovide a positive sequencing means as a safety device to insure theproper order of operation of the first and second constrained linkages,and in particular, when the chair is demonstrated without the occupanttherein. Accordingly, there is shown in FIGS. 46 inclusive, amodification of the present linkage to incorporate a positive sequencingmeans, generally designated by the reference numeral 195. Like referencenumerals have been applied to the various link age parts shown in FIGS.4-6 as are applied in FIGS. l3 inclusive, and accordingly thedescription of the environment for the positive sequencing means 165 isdispensed within the interests of brevity. The positive sequencing meansMP5 includes a sequencing plate 166 piovted on the seat bracket 48 atpivot N7 and coupled via an actuating link 10% to the leg-rest link 80.Specifically, the upper end of the actuating link 1% has a pivotalconnection 110 to the leg-restlink 39 at a point spaced below thesuspending pivot 9%, while the lower end of the actuating link 103 has apivotal connection 112 to the sequencing plate 106. In response to theturning of the leg-rest link Si? in the clockwise direction about thesuspending pivot. 99, the link 108 is effective to turn the sequencingplate 166. The sequencing arrangement is completed by a double-awed slot114 formed in the sequencing plate 1%, which slot receives a pin 116secured to the adjacent forward end of the intermediate coordinatinglink 34. The double-arced slot 114 includes a first slot section 114a ofa shape determined by the path of movement of the seat 22 during thefirst movement phase, and a second section 11412 of a shape de terminedby the path of movement of the seat 22 during the second movement phase.The slots meet at a junction 114a. In the normal sitting position of thechair,

' the pin 116 is seated at the forward end of the slot section 114aremote from the junction 114s. In response to the movement of theintermediate coordinating link 34 rearwardly during the first movementphase, the pin 116 moves to the junction lldc of the slots 114a, 114:5such that the seat 22 is freed to move upwardly relative to theintermediate coordinating link 34 during the second movement phase. Thelower end of the slot 11 1b contacts the pin 116 at the end of thesecond movement phase and serves as a positive stop (see FIG. 6) toestablish the limit of movement for the chair and the fully reclinedposition (see FIG. 3). This type of sequencing means is more fullydescribed .in my copending patent application Serial No. 838,539, filedSeptember 8, 1959.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1.. Ina reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type includinga support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back-restadapted to be mounted on said support for inclining and recliningmovements respectively, means mounting said seat and back-rest of saidbody-supporting means for movement from an upright sitting position toan intermediate, tilted sitting position during a first movement phasewith substantially no change in the angular relationship between saidseat and said back-rest and for movement from said intermediate, tiltedsitting position to a fully reclined position during a second movementphase with increase in the angular relationship between said seat andsaid back-rest, a legrest, and means mounting said leg-rest for movementfrom a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position duringsaid first movement phase, the improvement comprising the mounting meansfor said seat and backrest including a first constrained linkageoperative during said first movement phase and an independent andcoordinated second constrained linkage operative during said secondmovement phase, said first constrained linkage including as movablelinks thereof an intermediate coordinating link, a front guiding linkpivotally mounted on said support at a front pivotal mount and pivotallyconnected to said intermediate coordinating link at a front pivotalconnection and a rear guiding link pivotally mounted on said support ata rear pivotal mount and pivotally connected to said intermediatecoordinating link at a rear pivotal connection, said second constarinedlinkage including means pivotally connecting said back-rest to said seatat a seat pivot and means pivotally mounting said back-rest on saidintermediate coordinating link at a back-rest pivot such that said seatand back-rest serve as two movable links of said second contrainedlinkage, interconnecting links between said back-rest and a controlpivot on said seat and pivotally mounted on said coordinating link forcompleting a six-bar control linkage operable during said secondmovement phase to move said seat upwardly and to incline said seat as afunction of the reclining movement of said back-rest, and means forblocking the movement of said movable links of said first constrainedlinkage at the end of said first movement phase such that saidintermediate coordinating link serves as a stationary link of saidsix-bar control linkage and effectively provides a stationary pivotalmount for :said back-rest at said back-rest pivot during said second:movement phase.

2. A reclining chair according to claim 1 wherein the :mounting meansfor said leg-rest includes an extensible linkage pivotally mounted onsaid seat and pivotally supporting said leg-rest and a control linkpivotally mounted -on said support at a mounting pivot and pivotallyconnected to said extensible linkage, said control link depending fromsaid mounting pivot when said leg-rest is in said stored position andopposing movement of said :second constrained linkage and acorresponding upward movement of said seat during said first movementphase.

3. A reclining chair according to claim 1 wherein said interconnectinglinks include a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on said intermediatecoordinating link at a lever pivot spaced from said back-rest pivot, afirst connecting link pivotally connected to said back-rest and to onearm of said bell crank lever, and a second connecting link pivotallyconnected to the other arm of said bell crank lever and to said seat atsaid control pivot.

4. In a reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type includinga support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back-restadapted to be mounted on said support for inclining and recliningmovements respectively, means mounting said seat and back-rest of saidbody-supporting means for movement from an upright sitting position toan intermediate, tilting sitting position during a first movement phasewith substantially no change in the angular relationship between saidseat and said back-rest and for movement from said intermediate, tiltedsitting position to a fully reclined position during a second movementphase with an increase in the angular relationship between said seat andsaid back-rest, a leg-rest, and means mounting said leg-rest formovement from a stored position to an elevated legsupporting positionduring said first movement phase, the improvement comprising themounting means for said seat and back-rest including a first constrainedlinkage operative during said first movement phase and an independentand coordinated second constrained linkage operative during said secondmovement phase, said first constrained linkage including as a movablelink thereof an intermediate coordinating link and further linkspivotally mounting said intermediate coordinating link on said support,said second constrained linkage including means pivotally connectingsaid back-rest to said seat at a seat pivot and means pivotally mountingsaid back rest on said intermediate coordinating link at a back-restpivot such that said seat and said back-rest serve as two movable linksof said second constrained linkage, interconnecting links between saidback-rest and a control pivot on said seat and pivotally mounted on saidcoordinating link for completing a six-bar control linkage operableduring said second movement phase to incline said seat as a function ofthe reclining movement of said back-rest, and means for blocking themovement of said movable links of said first constrained linkage at theend of said first movement phase such that said intermediatecoordinating link serves as a stationary link of said six-bar controllinkage and effectively provides a stationary pivotal mount for saidback-rest at said backrest pivot during said second movement phase.

5. A reclining chair according to claim 4 wherein the mounting means forsaid leg-rest includes an extensible linkage pivotally mounted on saidseat and pivotally supporting said leg-rest and a control link pivotallymounted on said support at a mounting pivot and pivotally connected tosaid extensible linkage, said control link depending from said mountingpivot when said leg-rest is in said stored position and opposingmovement of said second constrained linkage and a corresponding upwardmovement of said seat during said first movement phase.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 4 wherein said interconnectinglinks include a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on said intermediatecoordination link at a lever pivot spaced from said back-rest pivot, afirst connecting link pivotally connected to said back-rest and to onearm of said bell crank lever, and a second connecting link pivotallyconnected to the other arm of said bell crank lever and to said seat atsaid control pivot.

7. In a reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type includinga support, body-supporting mean including a seat and a back-rest adaptedto be mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movementsrespectively, means mounting said seat and back-rest of saidbody-supporting means for movement from an upright sitting position toan intermediate, tilted sitting position during a first movement phasewith substantially no change in the angular relationship between saidseat and said back-rest and for movement from said intermediate, tiltedsitting position to a fully reclined position during a second movementphase with an increase in the angular relationship between said seat andsaid back-rest, a leg-rest, and means mounting said leg-rest formovement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting positionduring said first movement phase, the improvement comprising themounting means for said seat and back-rest including a first constrainedlinkage operative during said first movement phase and an independentand coordinated second constrained linkage operative during said secondmovement phase, said first constrained linkage including as movablelinks thereof an intermediate coordinating link, a front guiding linkpivotally mounted on said support at a front pivotal mount and pivotallyconnected to said intermediate coordinating link at a front pivotalconnection and a rear guiding link pivotally mounted on said support ata rear pivotal mount and pivotally connected to said intermediatecoordinating link at a rear pivotal connection, said second constrainedlinkage including means pivotally connecting said back-rest to said seatat a seat pivot and means pivotally mounting said back-rest on saidintermediate coordinating link at a back-rest pivot such that said seatand back-rest serves as two movable links of said second constrainedlinkage, interconnecting links between said back-rest and a controlpivot on said seat and pivotally mounted on said coordinating link forcompleting a six-bar control linkage operable during said secondmovement phase to incline said seat as a function of the recliningmovement of said back-rest, means for blocking the movement of saidmovable links of said first constrained linkage at the end of said firstmovement phase such that said intermediate coordinating link serves as astationary link of said six-bar control linkage and effectively providesa stationary pivotal mount for said back-rest at said back-rest pivot,and sequencing means operative to block said second constrained linkageagainst movement during said first movement phase.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/59 Schliephacke297-85 12/61 Lorenz 297-85 12/ 61 Pincher et a1. 297-85 7/62 Fletcher297-85 12/62 Belisle et a1. 297-85 4/63 Fletcher 297-322 X 4/63 Fletcher297-85 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/56 France.

6/58 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A RECLINING CHAIR OF THE MULTIPLE POSITION LOUNGER TYPE INCLUDINGA SUPPORT, BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A SEAT AND A BACK-RESTADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR INCLINING AND RECLININGMOVEMENTS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SEAT AND BACK-REST OF SAIDBODY-SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT FROM AN UPRIGHT SITTING POSITION TOAN INTERMEDIATE, TILTED SITTING POSITION DURING A FIRST MOVEMENT PHASEWITH SUBSTANTIALLY NO CHANGE IN THE ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAIDSEAT AND SAID BACK-REST AND FOR MOVEMENT FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE, TILTEDSITTING POSITION TO A FULLY RECLINED POSITION DURING A SECOND MOVEMENTPHASE WITH AN INCREASE IN THE ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID SEAT ANDSAID BACK-REST, A LEGREST, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID LEG-REST FOR MOVEMENTFROM A STORED POSITION TO AN ELEVATED LEG-SUPPORTING POSITION DURINGSAID FIRST MOVEMENT PHASE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING THE MOUNTING MEANSFOR SAID SEAT AND BACKREST INCLUDING A FIRST CONSTRAINED LINKAGEOPERATIVE DURING SAID FIRST MOVEMENT PHASE AND AN INDEPENDENT ANDCOORDINATED SECOND CONSTRAINED LINKAGE OPERATIVE DURING SAID SECONDMOVEMENT PHASE, SAID FIRST CONSTRAINED LINKAGE INCLUDING AS MOVABLELINKS THEREOF AN INTERMEDIATE COORDINATING LINK, A FRONT GUIDING LINKPIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AT A FRONT PIVOTAL MOUNT AND PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE COORDINATING LINK AT A FRONT PIVOTALCONNECTION AND A REAR GUIDING LINK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT ATA REAR PIVOTAL MOUNT AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID INTERMEDIATECOORDINATING LINK AT A REAR PIVOTAL CONNECTION, SAID SECOND CONSTARINEDLINKAGE INCLUDING MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID BACK-REST TO SAID SEATAT A SEAT PIVOT AND MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID BACK-REST ON SAIDINTERMEDIATE COORDINATING LINK AT A BACK-REST PIVOT SUCH THAT SAID SEATAND BACK-REST SERVE AS TWO MOVABLE LINKS OF SAID SECOND CONTRAINEDLINKAGE, INTERCONNECTING LINKS BETWEEN SAID BACK-REST AND A CONTROLPIVOT ON SAID SEAT AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID COORDINATING LINK FORCOMPLETING A SIX-BAR CONTROL LINKAGE OPERABLE DURING SAID SECONDMOVEMENT PHASE TO MOVE SAID SEAT UPWARDLY AND TO INCLINE SAID SEAT AS AFUNCTION OF THE RECLINING MOVEMENT OF SAID BACK-REST, AND MEANS FORBLOCKING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE LINKS OF SAID FIRST CONSTRAINEDLINKAGE AT THE END OF SAID FIRST MOVEMENT PHASE SUCH THAT SAIDINTERMEDIATE COORDINATING LINK SERVES AS A STATIONARY LINK OF SAIDSIX-BAR CONTROL LINKAGE AND EFFECTIVELY PROVIDES A STATIONARY PIVOTALMOUNT FOR SAID BACK-REST AT SAID BACK-REST PIVOT DURING SAID SECONDMOVEMENT PHASE.